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An Argentine writer named Jorge Luis Borges once declared that there are only four stories that are told and re-told. Or maybe there are seven — it depends who you ask. Regardless, Rob Long explains in this week’s episode why writers would be better off ignoring those rules. And why everyone else should ignore people who insist that the summer is over on July 5th.
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I haven’t listened to the podcast yet, and I know about the seven basic plots. I once heard someone say there were only two plots:
It sure describes a lot of Clint Eastwood westerns . . .
Another triumph! I shared this episode with my daughter.
According to Robert Heinlein, there are three basic plots: Boy Meets Girl; The Little Tailor; and The Man Who Learned Better.
In a 1947 essay, he explains that these apply to what he calls human interest stories; science fiction also includes what he calls “gadget stories”.